Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending October 4, 2025, increased by a marginal amount and remain at a low level. New claims were 262, up claims from the week before and up 49 from last year at this time. Claims were 186 two weeks ago. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. Meanwhile, the government shutdown, federal layoffs and new export controls by China on "rare-earth" materials, and a subsequent threat from the White to impose 100% tariffs on China, led the stock market to plunge on Friday.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) released the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): “The use of our brave troops by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth for political theater—militarizing American cities against the wishes of citizens and governors, declaring wars without congressional authorization, parading around generals for a campaign rally—is a nightmare our founders would not have tolerated."

Vermont Business Magazine In response to increased concerns about quality-of-life crimes and disorder in Burlington, Governor Scott today announced the first steps, in coordination with many partners, to respond. Today’s announcement is the first initiative of a multi-point plan that will be rolled out in the coming days. After collaboration with the Judiciary, Defender General, Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriff’s, the Chittenden County State’s Attorney, Burlington City Officials, the Attorney General, law enforcement, human services providers, and more, the governor will be appointing a Special Prosecutor to work within Chittenden County to assist in relieving the backlog of service-resistant repeat offender criminal cases, with an initial focus on individuals who have many open dockets and are awaiting trial. The Judiciary will be appointing a dedicated judge for this near-term initiative.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Lottery is aware of news reports claiming that a Vermont Lottery vendor failed to appropriately notify the Vermont Attorney General’s Office of a data breach impacting Vermonters. This reporting is inaccurate. Brightstar Global Solutions is not a vendor of the Vermont Lottery, nor are they subcontracted for any Vermont products or business through the Vermont Lottery’s gaming vendor, Scientific Games.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College awarded its 2025 Distinguished Citizen Award to Lindsay DesLauriers, president of Bolton Valley Resort. Marking 64 years of tradition, the Distinguished Citizen Award celebrates leaders whose achievements leave a meaningful mark on their communities. DesLauriers has dedicated her career to strengthening Vermont through business leadership, civic engagement and a deep commitment to the state’s outdoor economy. As a member of the family that founded Bolton Valley, she returned to the resort in 2017 and has since led its revitalization, transforming it into a thriving four-season destination while honoring its strong community roots. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced his office will distribute a record $2.6 million from the Higher Education Endowment Trust Fund to support Vermonters seeking higher education. The Treasurer’s Office manages the Fund which earned an 11.4% return last year. The funds will be distributed to the University of Vermont, the Vermont State Colleges, and the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation to provide non-loan tuition assistance to Vermonters. The Legislature established the Higher Education Endowment Trust Fund in 1999. Its annual distribution is based on investment performance, which the Treasurer’s Office reports each year to the Legislature. Over the past 25 years, the Fund has distributed over $30 million to support Vermont students. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) announced that David Scherr, State Director, will be departing the office and taking on a new role in Vermont. David has served as State Director, leading the Vermont offices, since day one of Rep. Balint’s tenure in Congress. Jessica Nordhaus, Director of Community Outreach, will serve as interim State Director. 

Vermont Business Magazine ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its Q3 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows a total of 101,513 U.S. properties with a foreclosure filing during the third quarter of 2025, up less than 1 percent from the previous quarter and up 17 percent from a year ago. The report also shows a total of 35,602 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings in September 2025 (1 in 1,402 housing units), down 0.3 percent from the previous month and up 20 percent from a year ago. Vermont is second lowest at (1 in 6,741 housing units). South Dakota has the lowest rate (1 in 12,088 HU) and Florida (1 in 814 HU) and Nevada (1 in 831 HU) are the highest.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) released a statement following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a plan to end the war: I am deeply relieved that a peace agreement has been reached to stop the bombing and end the immense loss of innocent life that has plagued Israel and Gaza since October 7, 2023. I’m also immensely gratified that this peace agreement means Israeli families will at long-last be reunited with their loved ones, who have been so cruelly held hostage by brutal Hamas.

VermontBiz A professional trail crew teamed with local partners and volunteers this summer to enhance paddling and camping infrastructure along the Missisquoi River.

The work was performed by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s (NFCT) roving stewardship crew, with support from Swanton’s Public Works Department and a team of local volunteers. The projects included construction of a new boat ramp and tent pads at Marble Mill Park, as well as rehabilitation of a portage trail upstream from Swanton.

Vermont Business Magazine First Children’s Finance hosted Vermont’s child care business leaders, community partners, and advocates at Camp Meade on September 30 for the Planning for the Future of Child Care Symposium. The event highlighted the progress of the Child Care Accessibility Initiative and recognized providers who are planning for growth and long-term sustainability. The Initiative, funded by Let’s Grow Kids and supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provided targeted business planning support and planning grants to 72 child care programs. Through this work, participants developed new business models, explored expansion projects, and strengthened the financial foundations of their programs — all steps toward building a stronger, more sustainable early childhood system.

Vermont Business Magazine The National Science Foundation has awarded a $400,000 grant to Saint Michael’s College, which will be used to build a pipeline to Vermont’s growing biotechnology industry. The grant was awarded through the NSF’s EPiiC (Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity) program. EPiiC grants support teams from multiple institutions in collaborating to build their capacity to engage their regions’ innovation systems. The grant will be in effect until 2028.